The Villages

We have just returned from visiting family and friends who live in the Villages in Florida.

The Villages is a 55 + community about an hour’s drive from Orlando. It was a fabulous experience. We knew of the area from what friends told us, but we didn’t really “get it” until we saw it for ourselves.

Along with over 60 golf courses, there are a number of fine restaurants. Almost all residents have golf carts and there are cart paths throughout the 35 plus miles of the property. They allow for easy access to anywhere you may want to go: Grocery stores, libraries, Barnes and Noble, churches, swimming pools, banks, medical facilities, etc.  All accessible on property via golf cart.

The Villages are divided into five distinct areas, each containing a large Regional Community Center and a Town Square.  Nightly entertainment is available every day of the year at the Town Squares. Each offers live bands playing a wide variety of music: Country, 60’s / ‘70’s, Latin music, disco, etc. There is something for everyone to enjoy and it goes from 6-9 PM every night. Each Square has a bar, otherwise, the music and dancing are free. It’s just a great way to stay active and get some exercise while spending time with your neighbors

The amazing thing is, there is a schedule that you can check each week to see which band is playing so you know what night you want to be sure not to miss.

Speaking of getting exercise, there are over 100 recreation centers with all the indoor and outdoor activities you can imagine. There are tennis and pickle ball courts, pool tables, and each day offers a different card game which includes duplicate bridge, along with all the popular card games. Yoga and Tai Chi and even line dancing classes are available.

Another evening, we took the 25-minute boat ride around Lake Sumter, it’s always relaxing to be on the water, and the best way to see a beautiful sunset.

There are several college alumni clubs that host game watches for football, basketball, golf tournaments, Notre Dame, Iowa, Michigan State, Penn State to name just a few.

One day we drove about 40 minutes to the town of Mount Dora, it reminded me of Balboa Island in Newport Beach, CA. It’s not at the ocean, but it is surrounded by beautiful Lake Dora. You can fish, or take a boat ride, shopping is a treat with a lot of unique shops and cafes. I love lighthouses so when I heard there was one there, we made sure to go.  

The Villages is inland about an hour from the ocean.  We were very impressed with how well maintained, how green and full of life it is. We will definitely go back!